The De Soto High School boys’ soccer team kicked their way to victory in the Regionals championship game on Oct. 29. The team defeated Piper High School 5-1 to move on to the quarter-finals game.
The two teams fought each other hard, driving the ball up and down the field several times but both remaining scoreless for a good portion of the first half. Goalies from both teams had several exceptional blocks.
Sophomore Ethan Rodriguez made the first goal of the night with 22:13 left in the first half of the game after coming close to scoring at both the 30 and 28 minute mark.
With 12:10 left in the first half, senior Austin Culver made an attempt at putting DHS up 2-0, but was unable to make it past the PHS goalie. DHS goalie senior Isaac Albert returned the favor with 9:45 on the clock, protecting the DHS 1-0 lead.
The first half of the game ended with the score 2-0 Wildcats after a PHS player accidentally shot the ball into his own team’s goal.
The second half was similar to the first, as both teams drove the ball up and down the field but were unable to score.
Culver was finally able to get past the PHS goalie, scoring with 29:26 left in the second half, putting the Wildcats up 3-0. Not long after, at the 27:56 mark, Culver was able to score again with a penalty kick, making the score 4-0 DHS.
PHS had not given up their fight, and managed to make their way on the board quickly after the PK. With 27:47 left in the game, the score was 4-1 DHS.
The Wildcats scored again with 2:01 left in the game, and the game ended with a victory for DHS, 5-1.
“It feels good,” coach Jesse Smith said after the game. “It’s what we played for all season long, so it’s just another step along the way. It’s nice to reach that milestone. Like I told the boys, winners know how to win, and we’re winning.”
Smith was proud of how all the boys played and determined no single person stood out in the game.
“I can’t narrow it down to just one guy. It’s a full team from top to bottom,” Smith said. “They play great as a team and it was a team victory.”
Smith and the athlete’s have also appreciated being able to play on their home field for both playoff games.
“We’ll be here on our own field [for the quarter-finals game.] It’s a tough place to play for the opponents. I feel good about it,” Smith said. “We’re a tough team, that’s why we’re playing at home … that’s just how the playoffs work. It’s tough to match up with this.”
According to senior Giovanni Zaragoza, the win was well earned and he was happy to do it with people he considers family.
“We’re all brothers. We all work hard in practice. We’ve been working since June and we all have a close bond. We’re brothers,” Zaragoza said.
After the game, the team was already looking toward what was ahead. The soccer team will play Tuesday, Nov. 3 at home, but did not know who their opponent would be at the time of publication in the quarter-finals game. A victory in the quarter-finals game would move them onto the final four and the State tournament.
According to Zaragoza, “we’re not done yet.”